Jára Cimrman

Jara (da) Cimrman is a fictional character and, as such, main character of the Jara Cimrman Theatre ( Divadlo Járy Cimrmana ), dedicated to his life and work. The character first appeared in 1966 in a Radio program, and developed during socialism also the object silent resistance and a projection for time not realizable possibilities of free shaping their own lives. Cimerman was thereby became a " virtual " national hero, ever maintained its also virtual existence of numerous people and media over the years by reports of fictitious events from his life and developed.

Major authors and protagonists of the plays performed in the theater are Zdeněk Svěrák, Ladislav Smoljak and ( in the early years ) Jiří Šebánek. They pretend Cimrman scientifically to explore and make their audience familiar with their new knowledge.

The theater was built in 1966 from a radio program, the " non-alcoholic wine bar to the spider " ( " Nealkoholická vinárna U Pavouka ", first broadcast December 23, 1966 ), the first premiere "act " followed in the next 30 years 14 more pieces.

The main characteristics of this theater, in addition to the typical form ( the idea is divided into a pseudo- scientific seminar and a supposedly written by Cimrman piece ), the use of " non-actors " and mystification ( pretense of existence Cimrman ). It is characterized by strong elements of parody.

All shows have a theme: exploring the work Cimrman. The actors give scientists - Cimrmanologen - that present in each piece ( in seminar ) new finds and discoveries, and following a piece out of the hand of the "master " list. The performances are usually sold out well in advance. Although the Czechs are well aware that Cimrman has never existed, they operate the mystification with which began the Cimrmanologen, with much vigor.

Life and work of Jara Cimrman

The following chart summarizes the notional life of Jara Cimrman, as it stands today because of the collective "Continue spinning " of the original idea of this fictitious person.

Jara Cimrman was born 1854-1872 in Vienna, the son of Czech Schneiders Leopold Cimrman and the Austrian actress Marlén JELINKOVA. He was not a very happy childhood. His father enrolled him for the Czech minority school in Vienna, while his mother him - simultaneously - sent to a German -language school. In order to save his parents moved to as a girl so he could carry on the things his older sister (later the village school teacher of Liptákov ).

Despite his difficult childhood Cimrman got a great future. As a world traveler, he lived with the Polish circus Krakowiak breathtaking adventure and developed his talent as a playwright and sculptor. Later he worked at various theaters and devoted himself to theater theory (especially in connection with his traveling theater group ), but also in psychology, history, criminology, music science and engineering he accomplished feats. He was last, shortly before the outbreak of the First World War, as seen in Liptákov in the Jizera Mountains, after which he disappeared without a trace.

Important feats included the philosophy of " Externismus ," the cultivation of the "Universal platypus ". He would make friends with Albert Einstein and Sigmund Freud and also made a number of useful inventions such as the bulb (which was named after him: Czech " Járovka " will, later on the French to " žárovka " ), which he, however, until five minutes by Thomas Alva Edison arrived at the patent office.

Cimrman almost the first man at the North Pole would have been, but he missed his target by about six feet, he came across " hostile natives ." He suggested Chekhov titled " The Three Sisters " for the drama before, after he had heard the working title " The Two Sisters " and said: " Are not these enough? ". He also invented the CD ( the acronym stands for " Cimrman 's discs " ) and was the first man on the moon; he landed in 1914 in a squirrel - powered submarine.

There is only one photo of Cimrman, created in 1909 during a stay in the United States. Unfortunately, you can see it only one of its legs protruding into the picture.

Cimrman was verlegerisch active. His magazine "Happy Home " came in, after he began to publish the weekly competition " Unhappy Family ," in which the reader found a truer picture of life.

Jara Cimrman suggested the U.S. government before the project of the Panama Canal, while at the same time he introduced the libretto of the opera of the same name. Together with Count Zeppelin he constructed the first dirigible. As a declared anarchist from Germany he lived under difficult conditions in the Austrian Alps and worked here as a midwife. In Paraguay, he founded the puppet theater. In Vienna, he founded a criminal Music and Ballet school. He led an extensive correspondence with George Bernard Shaw, on which, however, did not answer the stubborn Irishman. He is the inventor of the yogurt. He helped selflessly many scientists: he assisted Dr. Burian at the first plastic surgeries, Edison, he helped in the revision of the first light bulb, for Eiffel he once found a sublet. He is the creator of the philosophical direction " Externismus ". Other inventions: Bikini, whole milk, principle of the Internet.

Recent publications now even claim Jara Cimrman would actually have been a woman.

Importance

As the Czech Television in 2005 organized a survey " The Best Czech " in the Czech Republic, Jara Cimrman was possibly even leading, thus exceeding the figures such as Saint Wenceslas, Charles IV, Jan Hus, Comenius or Václav Havel. However, he was ruled out as a fictional personality after a meeting with the license owner BBC from the competition, which was felt by a number of Czechs as outrageous. The number of votes cast for Cimrman votes was not published.

After Jara Cimrman some streets are named in the Czech Republic. In addition, a 1996 by a Czech astronomer discovered asteroid named Járacimrman.

The Jara Cimrman Theater

In Prague's Zizkov district is the theater in which the plays that revolve around the person of Jara Cimrman be played. It is formally name Žižkovské Divadlo Járy Cimrmana, but is often referred to in the Czech Republic only as DJC.

Statistics 1967-2007

Between 1967 and 2007, there were nearly 11,000 performances, this corresponds to average 275 performances per year. The performances are often sold out up to two months in advance. In addition, nearly one million records, audio cassettes and CDs were sold.

Plays to Jara Cimrman

( The authors are officially called Jara Cimrman, Zdeněk Svěrák and Ladislav Smoljak )

Jara Cimrman exhibition

An interesting exhibition in the basement of the observation tower on the Petrin in Prague presents numerous inventions of Jara Cimrman.